Since then, the state's police have stopped other scam victims from travelling if they believe they are heading for a similar fate.

The prevalence of the scams has prompted the Western Australia's fraud squad to join forces with the state's consumer-protection watchdog to take on the organised crime gangs responsible.

But it is a huge effort, and those witnessing the impact first-hand say Australia needs to set up an effective national taskforce to come anywhere close to winning the battle

Neil Johnstone, a 50-year-old divorcee, turned to the internet to find companionship.

He was bombarded with attention from Mavis Mensah, who claimed to be an Australian living in west Africa.

You just believe within yourself that they're real, they are the best person ... and anything they ask for or anything they want - you give it to them no matter what.

Scam victim Neil Johnstone

But there was heartbreak ahead.

"I finished work - I was on night shift - and I got that message and I was over the moon it was all happening," he told 7.30.

"I jumped in the car, drove to Perth very excited. Got to the airport - nothing."

This plane ticket, one of five Mr Johnstone paid for over their year-long relationship, turned out to be fake.

And so was Mavis, whose photos belonged to a US-based model.

"You just believe within yourself that they're real, they are the best person, that's the person I want and anything they ask for or anything they want - you give it to them no matter what," Mr Johnstone said.

He borrowed most of the $100,000 he sent to west Africa, and says he was upfront with the banks over what he needed most of the loans for.

"It's pretty close to D-day where all the banks want their money back now," he said.

Perth woman fooled by scammers twice

Detective Sergeant Rob Martin from the Western Australian Major Fraud Squad has heard it all before.

"It's a very unpleasant job to actually have to turn up on the victims doorstep and break the news that the person that has made them feel better than they've felt for a very long time isn't real and the romance that they thought they were involved in is just a fantasy," he said.

Perth resident Tracey Holmes, 48, is still coming to terms with the fact that she has been conned.

She thought a US man called Todd Hamilton was in love with her. Over the past year she sent him $25,000 to help with his business.

He was the second online identity she has lost money to in recent years.

I actually thought he was a lovely gentleman. And I thought he had the most sexy voice I've heard from a man.

Scam victim Tracey Holmes

"I actually thought he was a lovely gentleman. And I thought he had the most sexy voice I've heard from a man," she said.

But the romance turned ugly when Ms Holmes discovered his photographs were of an unknown man and were probably lifted from a social media site.

Now, the scammer is blackmailing her over revealing photos she sent to him online. He had also taken secret footage of her.